Tolls of the Cursed Bell
by S. A. Morley
Summary: Years of isolation in the vacant Creepy Steeple is maddening. Boredom soon took him, then loneliness, and finally insanity. Not even the Boos could keep his interest. The tricky duplighost, Doopliss, had other plans - bizarre plans that would scare off even the bravest of foes. A look into Doopliss's story throughout Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.


**So I've been playing some **_**Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door lately,**_** and I have become captivated by one specific character. Doopliss. He rocks my little socks off.**

** I couldn't resist not writing something about him. He's simply too awesome to skip up.**

** This'll be a small-ish story. I'll be taking you through Doopliss' perspective of **_**The Thousand Year Door. **_**There's quite a bit of humor in here, along with some of Doopliss' tricks that made me instantly fall in love with him. :P Hope everyone who reads enjoys.**

The moon was bright and glorious this night as I leaned out my window and peered over the ocean of tree tops. Mouth wide open in a smile and my eager eyes unblinking, I gazed across the forest to the small fleck of Twilight Town in the distance. It looked toy-like out there: the tiny cluster of warped, gothic houses that were surrounded by the dead branches of naked oaks. All was silent but the whisper of passing wind. Not a single beast howled.

"This is perfect!" Giggling with excitement, I waltzed from the broad windowsill and danced across the floor of my room. "Who will be my first piggified victim?" I asked myself as I twirled on tiptoe towards the long bell rope. "Is it Eve, the overstuffed mother of whiny triplets? Racheletta, the bone-headed shop lady?" Reaching out with my white, clothy hands, I took the rope and held it tight. "...or perhaps Dour, the in-dire-need-of-a-haircut mayor?" Cackling and imagining the screams once the Twilighters saw a neighbor transform into an oinking swine, I without any hesitation yanked on the bell rope as hard as I could.

_BONG! BONG! BONG!_

The bell swayed drunkenly with the clapper's strikes ringing out. I watched ruby red patterns flare up over the golden surface of the great object, illuminating my room with impressive light. Shadows danced from the bottoms of my furniture as the bell swung. The curse I had laid with the Crystal Star was awakening.

Grinning to the edges of my hat, I let go of the rope and skipped towards the window again, giddy with happiness. "SHOW ME THE PIGGIES!" I hollered, crows fluttering from their roosts in the pines below. Squinting to Twilight Town, I listened for any sign of uproar in the weighting silence.

I waited.

Nothing happened.

My gleeful grin gradually capsized into a crooked frown. "How can this be? Did I not ring the stupid bell hard enough?" Twisting around and stomping over to the still glowing instrument, I grabbed the rope and jerked it _just_ a few times more.

_BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG!_

The same tolls sounded, increasingly louder than the last. I looked over my shoulder with meager hopes towards the Town, seeing and hearing no change. Grumbling, I tossed the rope and trudged to the fridge beside my rocking chair and TV, flinging the door open, and purring at the gleaming stone that rested on the top rack.

Holding it in my hands, I ogled the Crystal Star. It was such a deep, lustful red that twinkled with boundless beauty. "Shiny..." I murmured, in a daze. I had never been immune to its winking charms.

The gleaming gem had been here when I happened to stumble upon this rotting steeple, tucked away in a beat up old treasure chest in the wet basement. I had almost thrown it out when I was tidying up the place, only realizing this giant ruby had value when I kicked it down the courtyard and broke open the sealed box it was kept within.

I remembered nearly going blind when the Crystal Star shone through the dim night, thinking I had just been killed by a fabled creature called: a Curse. When my behind grew cold from sitting on the damp mud, I knew I wasn't dead, and plucked up the hypnotizing stone, keeping it for myself and hiding it from the rest of the dreary world.

But one thing had always nagged at my mind. It continued to nag as I slid the ruby Crystal Star into my coat. Who in their right darn mind would simply lock up the most precious thing since tricksmanship? I mean, come on! What kind of idiot would even think of doing such a thing?

I shook the thought off. Why should I, the mighty Doopliss, question fate? After all, _I _had ended up with this priceless piece of rock, and nobody else was going to have it but _me! _

My task's importance soon resurfaced, so I closed the fridge and headed for the trap door. I had to see what my cursed bell had done. If it had done anything at all.

Before I jumped down, I heard the hollers and shrieks from the Boo swarms beyond. Those Boos always teased me, and were horrible at being quiet, always ruining my time for myself. They interrupted baths, moved staircases while I snoozed, or coaxed in Crayzee Dayzees so they could pick their petals. How those Boos bugged me.

A sudden stroke of genius caused me to smile. I had hatched an idea to shut them all up. Chortling, I slunk through the hole and down the steep passage, landing softly and silently. "Such a wonderful scheme! Yuk, yuk, yuk... When we return, Doopliss. We shall have our chance when we return..." I muttered elatedly as I descended the stairs.

Emerging through the door at the bottom of the stairwell, I was greeted by more whoops and screeches. I hardly even looked at the surrounding clouds of Boos while I locked the door behind me with the bone-styled key. Readjusting my hat on my head, I spun around grimly and faced the Boos.

There were around 200 of them, all floating merrily and chatting with one another in Creepy Steeple's foyer. The noise was intense. Colored light from the massive stained glass window to the left painted the Boos' milky skins all sorts of colors, along with the ancient floor, crumbling pillars, and dusty ceramic statue of the Crystal Star. Dozens of pairs of black eyes and toothy mouths faced me as I watched them with hidden joy.

"Hey, it's Freak-in-a-Sheet!" a Boo squeaked, pointing.

"How goes it, Bed Linen?" snickered another.

"Gimme that hat, you laundry soap-suckin' bedspread!" one roared, his remark followed by a boom of laughter from the entire colony of Boos.

"Ha, ha, ha, you are such a comedian." I growled, shooting that specific Boo a filthy glare. He wiped a tear from his eye whilst receiving pats on his back. "I think my stitching split, I was laughing so hard. Yuk, yuk, yuk." My voice was hideously monotone, but none of them paid attention. They were too busy repeating the jibes that had just been lobbed at me.

Turning down the lengthy walkway, I ignored the snickers that emanated around me. These Boos would soon get their just desserts. But my vengeance would have to wait until I came back from Twilight Town. Butterflies flitted around in my stomach. I simply couldn't wait to gain the respect I deserved!

Suddenly the floor beneath my foot disappeared. I tripped forward, smacking my face on the broken piece of marble that was separated from the rest of the path. A flash of white slammed against my sight, and I plummeted through the gorge in the granite, landing roughly on the ground in a poof of dust.

The explosion of guffaws that came after could've blown my hat off.

I felt my cheeks turn hot. All I could see were open mouths that levitated about me, snorts and giggles pouring from every tongue. Gritting my teeth, I slowly got to my feet and stood rigid, head hung low, eyes burning into the ground. The Crystal Star seemed to have a pulse beneath my material.

Without a single peep, I forced my shoes onward and began trudging. Tearing through the Boo multitude as I progressed, I eventually arrived at great double doors and parted them with an immense creak. _How humiliating..._ I thought, passing through the doors and slamming them behind me ferociously.

Standing outside in the Twilight air, I glanced upward at the enormous moon. At least the moon never taunted me. At least the moon never kicked me in the head and shoved me down the stairs. At least the moon didn't dangle me from Creepy's steeple, or throw my accessories deep into the Buzzy Beetle infested well. Sighing, I slumped my shoulders. If I thought about it, the moon and the steeple's bell were my only friends.

"I'm so lonely..." Kicking a small pebble into the dead, dried up lawn, I stepped off the porch and onto the dirt path, plodding down the small hill and past the tiny brick walls. After I secured the spiky gate with chains, I left the steeple grounds into the barrier of trees that surrounded the Twilight Trail.

Stopping about a minute into my trek, I faced the high branches. A single crow cawed hysterically on its perch in my presence. Feeling distinctly lazy tonight, I surveyed the crow's attributes: rather a runt, with a slick coat of tar colored feathers, puny talons, beady yellow eyes, and a flapping dark beak. The wings, I noticed, weren't half bad for flying.

I widened my gaze and focused on the bird, which ceased squawking and closely watched me. As it did, every little detail about the animal poured into my mind, heightening vividly like I had taken it under a microscope. Feather fibers, scuffs on the beak, a blind spot in the left eye, and even grooves on the legs.

A blaze of emerald light from my own eyes startled the crow, throwing it out of its tree. I shuddered and made blubbering noises as I began to shrink. The tree heights grew, the ground became larger, and my vision sharpened. My voice rose to a shrill, sandpapery croak.

Before I knew it, my white, clothy skin had cracked into hundreds of tiny feathers, darkening to a midnight black. My shoes split into three toes, with my hat shifting its position and transforming itself into a fully functional beak. I could no longer feel soft arms, but stiff and powerful wings in their stead.

Cawing at my success, I flapped, flapped, and flapped till airborne, floating above the fluffy pine trees, gnarled branches, and curled grass below. _INGENIOUS! Ingenious, I say! I am so good, this is painful._

I swooped leisurely through the sky, taking in the bird's eye view. Where I soared was a velvety purple, fading to pink the nearer the horizon came. Far down on the path, the soil resembled a powdery, pale amethyst, smooth and untouched. The occasional song of a Dayzee or gust of wind were the meager sounds that broke through the still twilight. And as I glided closer to the rooftops of town, I could faintly hear the sound of something delightful...

_Screams!_

I almost lost flying control because I was so excited, but I quickly sped up and tried not to hyperventilate. My wings began to ache over time, but what did I care? I had some pigs to see!

At last Twilight Town was within flight distance. Spreading my wings and branching in the nearest tree, I gripped the rough wood tightly in-talon and drank in the panic in the very air. I felt as if I was going to explode from my sheer happiness level.

On the cracked, coppered ground below, was a clutter of Twilighters, all of their golden eyes huge and fearfully gazing at the plump pig that sprinted in circles before them. Each gripped the other tightly; men, women, and children, standing together in a petrified huddle. The one Twilighter I recognized by heart stood in the front of the group, vibrant teal arms fanned out to his sides in a protective stance.

With his bushy eyebrows and mustache, Dour was easy to pick out from the rest of them: mostly wearing dull browns, shadows over the entirety of their faces, permanent blank expressions, and stitched together crudely. Dour was _the only_ Twilighter to have his fluffy insides protruding from his soft noggin. The rest of them... well they weren't as neglected as he was.

"It's a pig!" a boy cried.

"Where's Twila?" panicked a man, his head flinging from side to side in a distraught search.

"SHE _IS_ THE PIG!" sobbed his wife. "OUR DAUGHTER IS A _PIG!"_

A surge of worrisome moans emanated from the Twilighters, the mother of Twila burying her face in her husband's tattered shirt. Already his clothing was drenched by her tears. A tiny girl patted the mother's calf tenderly, trying to soothe her.

I cackled a caw, fluttering off my branch and transforming back into my old self as I descended to the dust. My wings slowly grew small, my hat crawled back onto my head, and I landed without toes, talons, or feathers of any sort. Watching a few of the Twilighter's attentions revert to me, I gradually smirked.

"What's the matter? Never seen a pig before?"

Once I said that, all of them acknowledged my existence. I was ogled at like I had the Black Plague. Even the pig looked at me. Chuckling, I started my way towards them, sauntering lazily across the bright dirt. "It's not going to kill you, if that's why you're all blabbering like that. He's too scared to possibly do anything." I sneered at the confused, snorting creature.

The tiny girl spoke up, tugging her bloodred cap further over her eyes. "This piggy's my sister..." she murmured.

I frowned. "Whatever."

None of them moved except for Dour, who lowered his arms and leaned forward on his walking stick. "Who are you?"

I stopped and jaggedly grinned at the sorry people before me. "What a pity! You don't know who _I _am?" Pausing for effect and giggling inside at the perfection of this situation, I raised my arms above my head and wickedly snickered. "I am Twilight Town's malevolent prankster. I am the ghost that haunts the chilling breeze. I am the lonely occupant of the daunting church on yonder. I am the diabolical demon that lives within the Creepy Steeple, who possesses a certain, extremely unquenchable hunger for..." Standing rigidly for a few seconds, I then jerked at them with mouth agape. _"BACON!"_

All of the Twilighters jumped back as a bunch, trembling at my shouts. One of the small boys began to whimper. Dour's mustache twitched. "What have you done, monster?" he croaked.

"HA!" My blurt of laughter made the whole crowd jump again. "I have done something positively priceless!"My grin was so broad I thought my seams would break. I giggled aloud. "You don't know how great it is to see you dismal, dreary, depressed little dimwits actually showing some _emotion!"_

Mayor Dour spluttered in shock, whilst the others flushed pale under the thick moonlight. Continuing my monologue, I drifted over to the mayor, draping my clothy arm over his mushy shoulders. He fidgeted and grumbled something that sounded like lemon scented laundry soap.

He faced me and watched me beneath those bushy eyebrows of his. "Isn't it obvious, Professor Gloomy?" I asked in his threadbare face. "I have cursed Twilight Town and Creepy Steeple's bell!" A resonating gasp came from behind me. "...Scared yet?"

He was about to nod his head, but I interrupted him. "WELL YOU SHOULD BE!

"Now... let this be a warning to you, old man, that whenever that thing chimes..." I twirled the guy around with me to face the looming shadow of the steeple in the distance. I pointed towards the barely tangible clapper that hung behind the large, blurry balcony. "...one of you sad little low lives will transform into... A PIG!"

Cackling manically with joy, I spun a three-sixty and hurled Dour flat on his face into the dirt. He landed with a heavy "Oof!", with his walking stick being launched into the nearest window. The satisfying crash that came subsequent enticed me to leap around the place gleefully.

Panic overwhelmed the Twilighters. They all screamed and frightfully darted to and fro. It was complete chaos as citizens ran into each other, kicked up dust, and wailed like upset banshees.

Dour spat out a rock he had in his lips and looked at me exhaustedly. "Why? Why have you inflicted this curse upon the town?" He gestured a shaky palm to the wildly oinking pig that was speeding between the legs of the villagers. "Why upon us?"

Raising a brow at him, I halted my gloating and tightened my bow tie. "Look dude, I'm sick and tired of this boring old joint. You spent far too long mourning over nothing. Heck, just watching someone sneeze can knock ya into a stupor. Why not get some excitement? Add some pizazz? Do something brighter for a change! After all, what's the point in living if you're just gonna sit there and brood?" I smiled. "I thought I'd mix things up with you and your posse of featureless plush toys." I knelt in front of his crumpled form and jabbed him firmly on the forehead. "I'd start practicing your oinks, mayor Dour. You might be next!"

He shuddered as if frozen, and uttered not a word.

**Hope everyone liked it! Please review. I need some feedback. BADLY!**


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